A man’s death is under investigation by the TBI after he walked away from a crash on Sparta Highway Thursday morning and died a short time later after being taken into custody by White County officers.

The man, Mauris Crespos, 34, of Morrison was pronounced dead-on-arrival at White County Hospital Thursday morning.

According to Trooper Bobby Johnson, Crespos was a passenger in a 2003 Tahoe drive by Lakean Woods, 27, of Rock Island which left the highway and struck a rock embankment on the Sparta side of Sligo on Sparta Highway. The SUV then came to rest on its side in the highway. The driver was ejected during the crash. She was later airlifted to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville. Meanwhile, her passenger walked away and was found by White County deputies just across the county line.

According to preliminary TBI reports, when the officers tried to detain him, he fought the officers and was hit with a tazer. He was then placed in the patrol car and taken to the White County Jail. However, upon arrival he was unresponsive and was pronounced dead a short time later.

The TBI is trying to determine the man’s cause of death as part of their investigation.